Fear plays an immense role in the way people make their decisions, such as when the characters of Danforth and Mary Warren resort to hypocrisy when no other options remain. She comes to me while I sleep; shes always making me dream corruptions! pg. Though the Puritans believed that children were not to be taken seriously, they are later convinced by the court officials that the children are the authorities on witchcraft. Abigail is told by John to move on but instead, Abigail starts accusing the townspeople of witchcraft, including John Proctors wife Elizabeth. In Arthur Miller's stunning play, The Crucible, a primary character named John Proctor has an affair with a young woman named Abigail Williams. Danforth, Hathorne, and Parris become even more rigid in their views when they feel they are under attack. He is appalled by Elizabeths lack of emotion when he asks her to help the court get a confession out of her husband (pg. PPTX The Crucible by Arthur Miller - Dr. Coffman's English Classes He believes there is a group of people in town determined to remove him from this position, and. Reverend Parris is in a position of power as the town's spiritual leader, but he is insecure about his authority. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. If you hope to write an awesome essay onThe Crucible, you should have extensive knowledge of its themes. People in power continue to believe the accusers out of fear for their own safety, taking the hysteria to a point where no one is above condemnation. While Mary Warren gets pressured by Proctor to reveal the truth about Abigail, but the overwhelming pressure from the mob makes her turn from the truth. A theme is a central topic that is addressed by a work of literature. An example would be something like: "How are themes like hysteria, hunger for power, reputation, or any of a number of others functional in the drama? In The Crucible by Arthur Miller many people panicked from the witch hysteria which caused many to be accused of being witches, Judge Danforth decided what happens to the accused witches and is the most corrupted in Salem because his power of being a judge made him go overboard with his decisions on people. Arthur Miller used this notion of hypocrisy when he wrote The Crucible to show us the theme, or underlying message, that a hypocritical society can be dangerous. He has sentenced people to death based on lies about their dealings in black magic, and he has accepted other false confessions from those who would rather lie than be executed. The power of collective hysteria ultimately becomes insurmountable because it grows larger than the influence of the few rational voices in the community. 44) but realizes that her word against Abigail will not stand. She openly threatens Danforth for even entertaining Mary and John's accusations of fraud against her. Each new false confession is thrown onto the pile of evidence of a grand Satanic plot, and as the pile grows larger, the hysteria surrounding it is fed generously. This causes problems down the line as Parris allows his paranoia about losing his position to translate into enthusiasm for the witch hunt. The power of mass hysteria is further revealed when Mary is unable to faint outside of a charged courtroom environment. The Salem villagers exhibit failings, including greed, vengeance, and fear, which eventually lead to the downfall of their town. It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. This well-intentioned mistake seals both of their fates. Combining this notion with the one he declared earlier displays the hypocritical nature of Danforth when put in this hysterical. Is hypocrisy a natural human flaw? - myLot Through this statement he clearly demonstrates his belief that lying will send a person to Hell. They're also revealed though events in the plot. I highly recommend you use this site! Being a hypocrite is one of the worst things you can be called youre someone who criticizes others and yet does the same sin yourself. She was seen as a grandmother to the village. "She sat to dinner in Reverend Parris's house tonight, and without word nor warnin' she falls to the floor. John Proctor sabotages his own reputation in Act 3 after realizing it's the only way he can discredit Abigail. Essay questions that ask about themes in this straightforward way can be tricky because there's a temptation to speak in vague terms about the theme's significance. 12) The first act of The Crucibleclearly establishes the fact that a bad reputation can damage a persons position in this society severely and irreparably. Mary Warrens sense of self-importance has increased as a result of the perceived value of her participation in court. What the people of Salem have seen as demonic possessions of the girls is nothing more than an act of deception. succeed. How does Reverend Hale make Tituba feel important? Hypocrisy In The Crucible - 1530 Words | Cram He appears to have no governing system of morality. A 17-year-old girl named Abigail Williams had an affair with John Proctor, a wealthy, married man. In reality, he is constantly judging himself, and this leads to outbursts of anger against others who remind him of what he did (he already feels guilty enough!). Innocent and guilty people have been put to death underneath his Judgement, to him this demonstrates his superiority and power. As much as I loved Bernie Sanders, he made millions of dollars while preaching for democratic. The fact that he forgets only this commandment shows that he is trying extremely hard to repress his guilt. Hale doesnt realize that his own fears and suspicions are the real powers of the dark. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Most Important Quotes From The Crucible, Analyzed - PrepScholar The Devil has returned putting children under his control is what many people believed in Salem village in 1962. Hypocrisy: A Human Flaw In the play The Crucible, Arthur Miller repeatedly portrays that duplicity and deceit are a natural part of human lives. As John gives his confession, Danforth says to Rebecca Nurse Now, woman, you surely see it profit nothin to keep this conspiracy any further. Proctor, a score of people have already testified they saw [Rebecca Nurse] with the Devil (pg. If Danforth accepts Marys testimony, it would mean that he wrongly convicted numerous people already. Just like generosity, honesty and kindness are natural in people with those tendencies. Hale is convinced that a scientific inquiry based only on facts and reality can be conducted to detect a supernatural presence. Parris initially insists that there are no unnatural causes for Bettys illness because he fears that he will lose favor with the townspeople if witchcraft is discovered under his roof. The judges cannot force her to commit herself to a lie, and her martyrdom severely damages their legitimacy and favor amongst the townspeople. He is known for making the right decisions and never going against them. This well-intentioned mistake seals both of their fates. When she is brought in for questioning and claims to see Marys familiar spirit, she says Envy is a deadly sin, Mary.Abigail herself has acted out of envy for the entire play. Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is a fictional account of the real life Salem witch trials, but the play has far deeper meanings than just a dramatic interpretation of the event. Examples Of Hypocrisy In The Crucible - Term Paper - TermPaper Warehouse Along with the final say in the putting to death of people during the Salem witch trials. Danforth also acts out of concern for his reputations here. As he says,How may I live without my name? What is the difference between dissent and disloyalty? Well, it's not. Here's another example of a potential essay question for The Crucible that's less explicit in its request for you to discuss themes of the play: "Most of the main characters in the play have personal flaws and either contribute to or end up in tragedy. Abigail's version of events is held to be true even after John confesses to their affair in a final effort to discredit her. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. A professor tells us that he has a strict rule about cell phones in the classroom, then he answers it midway through his own lecture. At first, Mary is being honest by admitting that Elizabeth . The Puritans believed that children were to be seen and not heard. In the play there was a character by the name of John Proctor; Proctor was a family man that made a huge mistake. The town slips further and further into chaos and paranoia until it reaches a point of total devastation. How are characters behaviors affected by concern for their reputations? Believer, Baltimore City IEP Chair, and 2:39 marathon runner. This fact could destroy his credibility, so he is biased towards continuing to trust Abigail. The Crucible - 534 Words | Studymode Parris is very quick to position himself on the side of the accusers as soon as Abigail throws the first punch, and he immediately threatens violence on Tituba if she doesn't confess (pg. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points, How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer. One single example is ; Corporate and political greed and desire for power is the reason for most of the suffering as claimed by many. These people are the only ones who refuse to throw out false accusations or lie about involvement in witchcraft, so they find themselves condemned (this is the fate of Rebecca Nurse). Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.. 61). He refers to Johns refusal to confess as a calamity, looking past his own involvement in the larger calamity of the conviction that led John to this point. When Abigail accuses Elizabeth, a respected farmers wife, it shows that she is willing to take big risks to remove Elizabeth from the picture. Thomas Putnam tells him to Wait for no one to charge you - declare it yourself.Parris must rush to be the first accuser so he can place himself beyond reproach. This leads to Marys hysterical accusation of Proctor after she finds herself targeted by the other girls and about to be consumed by the hysteria herself if she doesnt contribute to it. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. The overall message is that when a person's actions are driven by desires to preserve favorable public opinion rather than do the morally right thing, there can be extremely dire consequences. 130). Even Judge Danforth, supposedly a reliable source of justice and solidity, goes against what he knows to be true by forcing those arrested to either confess to crimes they did not commit or face the gallows, all to save his name and prevent it from looking like he had hanged innocent people. A professor tells us that he has a strict rule about cell phones in the classroom, then he answers it midway through his own lecture. John tells the judge to summon Elizabeth to back him up because he knows she always tells the truth. What Are The Human Flaws In The Crucible | ipl.org How does reputation influence who is first accused of witchcraft? John attempts to crush his guilt instead of facing it, which only ends up making it an even more destructive factor in his life. This vicious cycle continues to claim the lives of more and more people as the play progresses.
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